Machine for forming a random fiber web



Dec; 1, 1970 D. K. GEORGE MACHINE FOR FORMING A RANDOM FIBER WEB 4 ets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24, 1968 INVENTOR. DON LD )4.GE012Q&:-

Wa s/{91%, M WM ATTORNEYS Dec. 1, 197% p. K. GEORGE MACHINE FOR FORMING A RANDOM FIBER WEB 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 24, 1968 MUN 30% ZOCIUJ muajow 3 WK Z MM ATTORNEYfi L 1979 D. K. GEORGE MACHINE FOR FORMING A RANDOM FIBER WEB 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 24. 1968 A/JV mumfionw N AMWflMNQZOU Kw Q9 NM. 9 M mm @9 \u u w W N9 8 a 66. w A 5m L1 8 Qm Dec. 1, 1970 n. K. GEORGE MACHINE FOR FORMING A RANDOM FIBER WEB 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 24, 1968 ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 19 156.3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for forming a random fiber web comprising means for fiberizing fibrous material received from a supply means into a mass of substantially individual fibers, decreasingly tapering fiber conveying air duct means for receiving and conveying therethrough the mass of fiberized fibers from the fiberizing means and for reducing the width of the mass of fibers from the fiberizing means to the other end of the air duct means, a plurality of air nozzle means extending into the air duct means in spaced positions transversely across the air duct means with individual regulator means for controlling the flow of air through each air nozzle means whereby the transverse cross-sectional distribution of fibers in the decreasingly tapering air duct means may be controlled and balanced, and rotating foraminous means including suction means therein to receive the mass of air conveyed fiberized fibers from the air duct means, form and retain the fibers in condensed random web form thereon and convey the fiber web away from the air duct means.

This invention relates to an improved machine for forming a random fiber web and more particularly to an improved machine for forming a random fiber web of wood pulp fibers in which the width of the random fiber web is substantially reduced from the width of the wet pressed wood pulp supply sheet which is fed into the machine and is fiberized into individual fibers for forming the random fiber web.

Heretofore, in the production of random fiber Webs, particularly wood pulp fiber webs which are utilized in the manufacture of sanitary products, e.g., sanitary napkins, diapers, etc., the machines available, such as hammer mills, lickerins, opposed discs, gin saws or the like, have, of necessity, been limited to fiberizing sheet material of the same width as the fiberized web produced. This resulted in a very slow operation and normally required longitudinal cutting of the wider supply sheet into narrower widths. These machines have not been satisfac' torily constructed to reduce the width of the random fiber web produced from the width of the Wet pressed Wood pulp sheet fed into the machine and fiberized into individual fibers.

The major problem with reducing the width of the random fiber web produced is a resulting uneven distribution of the individual fibers in the random fiber web. The resulting reduced width random fiber web normally had a tendency to have an excess of fibers at the edge portions due to the mechanical arrangement of a tapering air duct or other similar means for reducing the width of the random fiber web which resulted in bunching up of the fibers at the tapering edges of the duct.

By this invention, it has been found that a machine for forming a random fiber web, comprising a supply means for providing a continuous supply of fibrous material to said machine, a means for receiving the fibrous material from the supply means and fiberizing the material into a mass of substantially individual fibers, a fiber conveying air duct means for receiving the mass of fiberized fibers from the fiberizing means and conveying the mass of 3,543,351 Patented Dec. 1, 1970 fibers therethrough and a rotating foraminous means or movable foraminous conveying means disposed adjacent the other end of the air duct means and including suction means therein for forming a suction on the outer periph ery thereof to receive the mass of air conveyed fiberized fibers from the air duct means, form and retain the fibers in condensed random web form thereon and convey the fibers away from the air duct means, may be satisfactorily utilized with certain modifications and improvements for forming a random fiber web in which the width of the random fiber web is reduced from the Width of the mass of individual fibers produced in the fiberizing means and from the width of the supply material fed into the fiberizing means.

This may be accomplished by providing in the machine an air duct means which decreasingly tapers in transverse cross-section from the fiberizing means to the rotating foraminous means so that the width of the mass of fibers is reduced from the fiberizing means to the other end of the air duct means, and a plurality of air nozzle means extending into the air duct means in spaced positions transversely across the air duct means. The air nozzle means include a source for providing air under pressure thereto and individual regulator means for controlling the flow of air individually through each of the air nozzle means, whereby the transverse cross-sectional distribution of fibers in the decreasingly tapering air duct means may be controlled and balanced by regulating the flow of air individually through each of the air nozzle means.

Some of the objects and advantages of this invention having been stated, other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in conjunction With the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the machine for forming a random fiber web of this invention including means for providing superimposed upper and lower sheets of continuous material superimposed on each side of the fibrous web for use in sanitary products or the like;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view, broken away, of the product produced by the machine of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 3A are cross-sectional views of the machine of FIG. 1, taken substantially along line 3-3A of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial, perspective view, broken away, illustrating the details of certain portions of the machine of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the machine for forming a random fiber web of reduced width according to this invention is referred to in the drawings generally by the reference numeral 10.

This machine comprises a supply means 11 consisting of a pair of upright stands 12 and 13 for holding a roll of fibrous material 14 which could consist of a continuous sheet of wet pressed wood pulp fibers.

The machine 10 further comprises a fiberizing means 20 consisting of a rotating lickerin cylinder 21 of any suitable construction rotatably mounted at its end portions in the frame, generally referred to in the drawings at 22, of the machine 10 and having suitable lickerin teeth 23 on the outer periphery thereof which may be similar to saw teeth. The lickerin cylinder 21 is'rotated in a counterclockwise direction by means of a motor 25, pulley 26, and drive chain 27 which is suitably operatively connected with the cylinder 21, as shown more clearly in FIG. 3. While the particular preferred machine being described is of the lickerin type, it is to be understood that the principles of this invention are applicable to other types of machines having other types of fiberizing means.

The fibrous material 14 is fed to the lickerin means 20 by a pair of feed rolls 30 and 31 which are suitably rotatably mounted on the machine frame 22, as shown in FIG. 1. The feed roll 30 is driven from the motor 25 through a speed reduction unit 32 and drive belt 33 which is suitably connected at one end to the drive roll 30. The roll 31 is an idler roll and is adapted to cooperate with the driven roll 30 for feeding the fibrous material 14 therebetween.

The continuous sheet of fibrous material 14 passes from the supply roll through feed rolls 30 and 31 and between a pair of plates 35 and 36- into engagement with the fiberizing means 20 wherein the supply sheet of fibrous material 14 is fiberized by the lickerin teeth 23 of the lickerin cylinder 21 into a mass of substantially individual fibers, generally indicated at 38.

The machine further comprises a fiber conveying air duct means, generally indicated at 40. The air duct means 40 comprises an elongate enclosed passageway leading from the fiberizing means in the longitudinal direction of the machine. The passageway includes a curved upper plate 41 substantially enclosing the upper portion of the lickerin cylinder 21 and being attached to the plate 35, a lower plate 42. substantially enclosing the lower portion of the lickerin cylinder 21, and a front plate 43 which is secured to the bottom plate 42 and is attached to the plate 36. The above-described plates 41, 42 and 43 connect at their end portions with the machine frame 22 for forming with the plates and 36 an enclosed chamber around the fiberizing means 20 to prevent the escape of fibers fiberized by the lickerin means 20.

The air duct means further comprises upper and lower longiutdinally-extending plates 45 and 46, the plate 45 being secured to the plate 41 and the plate 46 being secured to the plate 42 to form a continuous passageway for the fiberized fibers 38 from the fiberizing means 20. Cooperating with the upper and lower plates 45 and 46 are side plates 47 and 48. The plates 47 and 4 8 are pivotally mounted to the upper and lower plates by any suitable connection 49 and are adjustable in the transverse direction of the machine by any suitable mechanism, such as a crank device 50. As may be seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, the upper and lower plates 45 and 46 and the side plates 47 and 48 form an air duct means 40 which is adjustably decreasingly tapering in cross-section from the lickerin means 20 to the other end thereof so that the width of the mass of fiberized fibers 38 conveyed therethrough is reduced from the lickerin means 20 to the other end thereof. The side plates 47 and 48 may be adjusted so that the degree of reduction in the width of the mass of fibers 3-8 conveyed through the air duct means 20 and the width of the batt formed may be varied.

An air flow through the air duct means 40 is provided by a pair of air conduits 51 which have an end thereof extending into the air duct means 40 at the forward portion thereof and through the plate 43. The conduits 51 are connected with a source of air through a further conduit 52 which extends into a venturi means 53 within each of the conduits 51 such that a flow of air under pressure is provided through the conduits 51 into the fiber conveying air duct means 40 in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A for conveying the fiberized fibers 38 from the lickerin means 20 through the air duct means 40.

The machine 10 further comprises a plurality of air nozzle means extending into the air duct means 40 in spaced positions transversely across the air duct means 40 and forwardly of the fiberizing means 20. The air nozzle means 60 comprise a plurality of air conduits 61 extending through the top plate 45 of the air duct means 40 in spaced positions traversely across the air duct means 40, as shown in FIG. 1. Each of the air conduits 61 includes an individual valve regulator means 62 for controlling the flow of air through the conduits 6 1. These valve regulator means 62 have a manual control knob thereon which allows the valve regulator means to be opened or closed to varying degrees for allowing a varying air pressure through the conduits '61. Each of the air con- 4 duits 61 communicates with a common air supply con.- duit 63 which leads to any convenient source of compressed air, as indicated schematically in FIG. 3.

Thus, by controlling the flow of air individually through each air nozzle means 60, the transverse cross-sectional distribution of fibers in the decreasingly tapering air duct means 40 may be controlled and balanced. For example, the individual fibers 38 tend to bunch up along the side plates 47 and 48 in the decreasingly tapering air duct means 40 and the air nozzle means 60 adjacent these plates may be regulated to provide a greater flow of air at these points so that the fibers along the sides of the air duct means 40 will be blown toward the middle of the air duct means 40 for evening and balancing the distribution of fibers.

The machine further comprises rotating foraminous means or movable foraminous conveying means, generally indicated at 70, disposed adjacent the other end of said air duct means 40 for receiving the mass of air conveyed fiberized fibers 38 from the air duct means 40, for forming and retaining the fibers 38 in condensed random web form thereon, generally indicated at 71, and for conveying the fiber web 71 away from the air duct means 40 The foraminous means comprises an enclosed cylinder 72 having a perforate portion 73 therein adjacent the other end of the air duct means 40. The cylinder 72 is suitably mounted on the machine frame 22 and has flexible conduits 74 and 75 leading into the interior thereof at the respective closed end portions. The flexible conduits 74 and 75 are connected to any convenient source of suction, as indicated schematically in FIG. 3, for creating a suction in the cylinder 72- and along the outer periphery of the perforate portion 73. The suction created in the cylinder 73 is substantially of snfiicient volume to accommodate and suck in the flow of air produced by the conduits 51 and air nozzle means 60-.

The foraminous means 70 further comprises a rotating porous endless belt means 76, which may be formed of open mesh screen or other suitable material and which is mounted in such a manner that a portion thereof passes around the cylinder 72 and the perforate portion 73 and extends and passes around a drive roll 77 which is suitably mounted for rotation on the machine frame 22 and is driven by a motor 78 through a speed reduction unit 79 and drive chain 80 which passes around a suitable sprocket 81 on the outer end of roll 77. Cooperating with the roll 77 is a nip roll 82 suitably mounted on the machine frame 22 in the position shown in FIG. 3 for controlling rotation of the belt means 76.

By the above arrangement, a suction is created through the endless belt means 76 by the above-described suction created within the cylinder 72 and through the perforate portion 73 so that the mass of fibers 38 is deposited from the air duct means 40 on the endless belt 76 as it passes around the perforate portion 73 of the cylinder 72 to form the fibers into a condensed random web. As the endless belt 76 rotates in the longitudinal direction of the machine, the condensed fiber web 71 is conveyed away from the cylinder 72. A rotatable guide roll "85 is suitably pivotally mounted on the cylinder 72 and cooperates with the endless belt 76 for conveying the condensed fibrous web 71 away from the cylinder 72.

The above-described components of the machine 10 are the components necessary for forming a random fiber web wherein the transverse cross-sectional width of the random fiber web is reduced from the continuous sheet of supply material fed into the machine and the mass of individual fiberized fibers formed by the fiberizing means of the machine. However, if the random fiber web produced by the aforementioned components of the machine 10 is to be used in sanitary products, such as sanitary napkins, diapers, etc., the following described machine components could be utilized with the machine 10.

A supply roll of continuous sheet material, such as disposable paper woven gauge material, or the like, generally indicated at 90, may be mounted on the machine frame 22 and threaded in such a manner that it is introduced onto the endless belt 76 in advance of the position the belt 76 receives the fiberized fibers thereon, as illustrated in FIGS, 1, 3 and 3A, so that the fiberized fibers are deposited in random web form on the sheet of mate rial 90 for forming superimposed layers.

These superimposed layers may be fed from the endless belt 76 onto an endless conveyor belt 92 which is suitably mounted around rolls 93 and 94 which are carried by the machine frame 22. The roll 93 is driven by the roll 77 through a drive chain 95 and suitable sprockets on the ends of the rolls 77 and 93.

From the conveyor belt 92 the layers 71 and 90 are fed between a pair of nip rolls 96 and 97 suitably mounted in adjustable nipping relation on the machine frame 22, as shown in FIG. 3A. The roll 97 is driven by the chain 95 through a suitable sprocket on the end thereof. These rolls 96 and 97 may be used to compress the fiber web 71, if desired.

For purposes of forming sanitary products or the like, as discussed above, a second continuous sheet 98 of selfsustaining material, such as disposable paper, woven gauze, etc., may be fed into engagement with the condensed random web 71 and the first continuous sheet of material 90 from a supply roll suitably mounted on machine frame 22 between nip rolls 96 and 97, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3A, such that the second continuous sheet of material 98 will be superimposed on top of the random fiber web 71 and the first continuous sheet of material 90 as the layers are led from the nip rolls 96 and 97.

The above-described three superimposed layers of material are fed in the longitudinal direction of the machine to a trimming and cutting means, generally indicated at 100. The trimming and cutting means 100 comprises a plurality of rotary cutting blades 101 suitably pivotally mounted in spaced apart relationship on the machine frame 22 transversely across the machine and driven anvil roll 102 for trimming the edges of the above-described superimposed layers and for cutting the layers into a plurality of longitudinal segments, as indicated in FIG. 1. The anvil roll 102 is suitably mounted for rotation on the machine frame 22 and driven by roll 97 through a drive chain 103 passing around suitable sprockets on the ends of rolls 97 and 102.

The air conveying conduits 51 include an open outer end portion which is disposed adjacent the outer cutting and trimming blades 101 such that the trimmed edges of the superimposed layers are sucked therein through a suction created in these outer end portions by the abovedescribed venturi means 53 and air flow for recirculation to the fiberizing means 20.

From the trimming and cutting means 100 the cut segments are led over an endless conveyor belt 104 carried by rolls 105. and 106 mounted on the machine frame 22 to a suitable collection means, generally indicated at 107. This collection means 107 may comprise a pair of upright stands 108 and 109 for containing a roll-110 to receive the cut segments of superimposed layers in roll form thereon. The roll may rest on the end of conveyor belt 104 and driven roll 111 which are suitably mounted on the uprights 108 and 109 and are driven from a motor 112 through a speed reduction unit 113 and drive chain 114 which passes around suitable sprockets on the ends of the rolls 106 and 111.

Thus, it may be seen that a product is produced on the machine which is suitable for introduction into other machinery for the forming of sanitary products or the like.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, al-

though specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for forming a random fiber web comprising:

(a) supply means for providing a continuous supply of fibrous material to said machine;

(b) fiberizing means for receiving the fibrous material from said supply means and fiberizing the material into a mass of substantially individual fibers;

(c) fiber conveying air duct means associated with said fiberizing means and including means for providing an air flow therethrough for receiving the mass of fiberized fibers from said fiberizing means and conveying the mass of fibers through said air duct means, said air duct means decreasingly tapering in transverse cross-section from said fiberizing means to the other end thereof so that the width of the mass of fibers is reduced from said fiberizing means to the other end of said air duct means;

(d) a plurality of individual air nozzle means extending into said air duct means in spaced positions transversely across said air duct means and forwardly of said fiberizing means for exerting a plurality of positive air streams therefrom into said air duct means forwardly of said fiberizing means, said air nozzle means including a source for providing air under positive pressure thereto and individual regulator means for controlling the positive flow of air individually through each air nozzle means, whereby the fibers are evenly received from said fiberizing means and the transverse cross-sectional distribution of fibers in said decreasingly tapering air duct means may be controlled and balanced by regulating the positive flow of air individually through each of said nozzle means; and

(e) movable foraminous conveying means disposed adjacent the other end of said air duct means and including suction means therein for forming a suction on the outer periphery thereof to receive the mass of air conveyed fiberized fibers from said air duct means, form and retain the fibers in condensed random web form thereon and convey the fiber web away from said air duct means.

2. A machine for forming a random fiber web, as set forth in claim 1, in which said fiber conveying air duct means includes adjustable side means for varying the width of the mass of fibers conveyed therethrough and the ultimate web of fibers formed.

3. A machine for forming a randomfiber web, as set forth in claim 1, in which said movable foraminous conveying means comprises a cylinder having a perforate portion therein adjacent the other end of said air duct means and a movable porous endless belt means mounted such that a portion thereof passes around said perforate portion of said cylinder, and in which said suction means communicates with the interior of said cylinder for forming a suction through said perforate portion thereof and through said endless belt so that said movable endless belt receives the mass of air conveyed fiberized fibers from said air duct means thereon, forms and retains the fibers in condensed random web form thereon and conveys the fiber web away from said air duct means and from the perforate portion of said cylinder.

4. A machine for forming a random fiber web, as set forth in claim 3, in which said machine further comprises means for introducing a first continuous sheet of selfsustaining material onto said porous endless belt in advance of the position said belt receives the fiberized fibers thereon so that said fiberized fibers are deposited on said sheet of material for forming superimposed layers, and means for introducing a second continuous sheet of selfsustaining material on top of the fiber web and the first continuous sheet of material for forming a superimposed three-layered product which is suitable for use as sanitary products or the like.

5. A machine for forming a random fiber web, as set forth in claim 4, in which said machine further com- 7 8 prises a conveyor means disposed adjacent said porous 2,230,270 2/19'41 Simpson 19-156 XR endless belt and adapted to receive the superimposed 2,569,765 10/ 1951 Kellett. layers of material and convey the same away from said 2,648,876 8/1953 Phillips et al. 19156.3 porous endless belt, and trimming and cutting means dis- 2,890,497 6/1959 Langdon et a1. 19--156.3 XR posed adjacent said conveying means and adapted to trim 2,991,499 7/ 1961 Holcomb 19-156.4 XR the edges of the superimposed layers and to cut the layers 3,052,928 9/ 1962 Charlton et a1 19-156.3

into a plurality of longitudinally-extending segments.

FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited 560,512 7/1923 France. UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 703,376 2/1954 Great 'Britain. 242763 6/1881 Edgar 19156 DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner 1,799,506 4/1931 Frederick. 2,152,901 4/1939 Manning.

UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE 4 CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3; 543, 351 v Dated December 1, 1970 Inv Donald K. George It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

(The printed numerals applied to the lines of the patent do not correspond to the number of actual lines, and the following corrections refer to the actual numbered lines rather than the printed numerals.

Column 3, lines 28, 43, 45 and 60, reference numeral "20" should read --21--; line 30, 'longiutdinally-extending should read --longitudinally-extending--; line 49, reference numeral "20" should read --40--; line 68, "traversely" should read --transversely--. Column 4, line 35, reference numeral "73" should read --72--;

line 76, "gauge" should read --gauze--.

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of March 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD HER, WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR

Attesting 0fficer Commissioner of Patents 

